War pension reforms sought

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 2

War pension reforms sought

Parliamentary reporter The adjustments to war pensions, war widows’ pensions, and dependants’ pensions were designed to restore and maintain the purchasing power of war pensions, and were welcome, said Mr M. A. Connelly (Lab., Yaldhurst). But there were other matters of concern to these beneficiaries.

Many servicemen who had had nd apparant disability when they had completed their service and were discharged were now developing hearing, vision, and other health problems, he said. The Government ought to be considering those problems, and introducing worth while reforms of war pensions based on experience and need.

Fishing expansion The Government was determined that while the fishing industry was maintained as economically viable, one product should not be distorted at the expense of another, said Mr P. R. Burdon (Nat., Fendalton). Fishing was now being carefully husbanded and organised in a period of consolidation. It had expanded from a turnover of $2B million to $192 million in 10 years.

It was time for increased efforts by the industry, the fishing Industry Board and the Government to overcome the barriers that would limit the industry’s economic usefulness, he said. The Government had given careful consideration to choosing certain targeted area of concern.

These included the need to establish a sound economic base for fishermen and fishing boat owners, to ensure that they would not suffer bankruptcy or other economic misfortunes. The profitability of new units was a real measure .of the industry’s economic performance. ‘Regret’

It was a matter of regret that natural gas reticulation was being confined to the North Island, said Mr D. F. Caygill, (Lab., St. Albans) speaking during the second reading of the Gas Bill.

The possibility of a major extension of the reticulation system in the South Island was being re-examined by the Ministry of Energy. But if gas were found in the Canterbury Bight, it would promptly be piped north, he said.

■ There should be equality of treatment for the South Island and a little sharing around of the nation's resources.

Officer praised

The only way the AuditorGeneral (Mr A. C. Shailes) could be amazed would be by introducing legislation to abolish the office he held, or by restraining or reducing his powers, said Mrs Ann Hercus (Lab., Lyttelton) during the debate on the audit estimates.

She asked the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, if he intended to do this.

Mr Shailes was a person of considerable professional competence and skill, and of balance, integrity and judgment. He was Parliament's man.

In an interview, the Audi-tor-General had compared the Government’s antics with those of -a housewife who borrowed loans to pay the grocery bills, Mrs Hercus said. The Government could not deny that it had trans-

ferred vast sums from the Loans Account to the Consolidated Account. Unemployment The Government's response on unemployment had been unsatisfactory, said Mr T. K. Burke (Lab.. West Coast). Regional unemployment was massive; there had been an increase of 417 per cent in Whangarei and 3988 per cent in Masterton.

Regional unemployment had increased because the Government had not taken the advise of the Treasury, he said. Instead, the Government had looked to macro-econo-mics, to “think big." to fix regional unemployment and provide balanced regional development. But that would result in the development of only a

few favoured regions, largely as a result of the participation of overseas contractors and overseas labour, Mr Burke said. School year Mr P. T. E. Woollaston (Lab., Nelson) was concerned that the introduction of a four-term school year should be done nationally, when speaking to the Education Amendment Bill (No. 4). Fear had been expressed by some parents that problems could occur if different boards wished to make different arrangements. The powers of the Minister and Director General of Education to authorise schools not to open seemed to be widened, he said.

There was a greater vagueness about the way in which the number of halfdays might be set out or deviated from.